Infolding machine



March 24, 1931. w DiXON 1,797,641

TNFOLDTNG MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvenTor.

Walrer L. D ixon 7 r i '0. Kauai -& MB,

ATTys.

March 24, 1931. w DlXON 1,797,641

INFOLDING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTo'r.

Wul Ter L. Dixpn March 24, 1931. w DIXON 1,797,641

INFOLDING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnvenTor.

I-WQH8T L. Di xon b 3 4 I 7%), (W24 @M YS March 24, 1931. w DIXON 1,797,641

,INFOLDING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.7.

32 2/ 37 m FA A lnvenTor. 4

WulTer L .Dixor1- I BYRIQWMM ww. ATT S.

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UN'lTE. STATES PATENT, OFFIE WALTER L. DIXON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO'REECE FOLDING MA- CHINE COMPANY, 035 BOSTON, MASSAOHUS'ETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE INFOLDING MACHINE Application filed April 28,

This invention is a novel infolding machine and relates more especially to the infolding of the marginal edges of cloth or similar blanks for example those used in the manufacture of articles of apparel. The features of the present invention are herein shown applied to a machine in which. the defining and folding parts are designed for the production of a so-called pad, a relatively small shape, used c in the manufacture of garters, andpresenting of article referred to in an efficient and accurate manner and which will turn out a satisfactorily large rate of output. While the specific object of the invention relates to this particular shape nevertheless many features 3% involved in the illustrated machine are applicable or usefulin the folding of other shapes, and the invention is intended to be thus broadly considered. A particular object of the present invention is to provide, in a machine of the class referred to, an effective, simple, light and quick acting automatic device for the infeed'ing of the cloth blanks and outfeeding of the folded product, minimizing hand work and danger, and increasing the output of a given machine. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in. the subject of infolding machines.

To the attainment of the objects and ad- 'antages referred to the present invention consistsin the novel infolding machine and the novel features of combination, arrangement, operation and construction herein i-llustratcd or described.

1928. Serial No. 273,694.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is what may be termed a left elevation of a comp-lete infolding machine embodying the prin ciples of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an inside view of the particular shape orpad for which the defining and infoldin-g means ofthe illustrated machine are designed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with the definingmechanism, die or templet however omitted.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, with certain parts omitted, of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 3-.

Fig. 5 is afr'ont elevation of the upper portions of the machine, the die or templet omitted.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section looking from above, taken substantially on the line 6.6 of Fig. 5.

Fig, 7 is a vertical section, looking from the left, and taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a detached view of certain parts seen in Fig. 7 in left elevation.

Fig. 9 is a similar detached view of other parts, seen in left elevation.

Fig. 10 is a top plan View of the die or templet detached.

Fig. 11 is a section takenon the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of the die or templet.

Fig. 13 is a section, looking from the front, taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 10.

Fig. ll is a detached view of the defining parts of the die or templet in their contracted position. 1

' The defining die or templet, the system of infolders, the pressure applying means and the blank infeeding and outfeeding devices are operatively driven from a main or operating shaft 19 having its bearings in the two end uprights of the general frame 20 of the machine. At its upper portion the frame is formed with a fixed member or bed 21. the center of which, substantially of the shape to be infolded, is slightly raised as a .so-called pad 22. The blanks are received andinfolded on the top of this pad, the

templet descending directly on the blanks on the pad, the infolders normally lying flush with the pad but being caused to rise before their inward movements, and the feeding devices serving to bring each blank to the pad, deposit it there. and subsequently remove it therefrom to a delivery point.

At the upper rear part of the frame are two solid brackets 24: which, at their upper ends, afford hearings to a longitudinal rock shaft 25 on which are fixed a pair of forwardly extending arms 26 carrying at their extremities the die or templet 27, which is thus fitted to be swung downwardly in posi tion upon the bed and raised therefrom. The connections for lowering and raising the templet may be as in prior infolding machines, comprising a rearwardly extending lever 29 on the shaft 25, this lever connected by an adjustable connecting rod 30 with the rear arm 31 of a bell crank. lever, the up wardly extending arm 32 of which carries a cam roll held by the weight of the templet in contact against a cam 33 mounted on the main shaft 19, this cam having a contour so timed as to cause the main lowering and lifting movements, and certain other movements to be described, in coordination with .1 the infolding, pressing and feeding operations.

The blank,as indicated in Fig. 2, consists of a piece of cloth or similar material a, the side margins b and end margins c of which are infolded to produce the desired contour, in this case for a garter pad. The fi ure indicates in dotted lines (Z the general outline of the raw or unfolded blank, while the full lines show the folded condition and indicate that the end folds c, which are the front and rear folds as the blank lies in the machine, are infolded first, the side folds I) being infolded on top of the folds 0, thus avoiding bunching of the fabric at the corners.

Referring next to the infolding mechanism. this consists of a system of two end infolders 35 moving longitudinally from right and left upon the blank and templet, and two side infolders 36 and 3b moving inwardly from the front and rear, all of these infolders being slidingly mounted in a square carrying element or table 37 which is arranged for the necessary lifting and lowering movements to cooperate with the in and out movements of the folders and other operations. The table 37 is cut away or recessed to form guiding ways for the several infolders, overlying plates 38 are provided, confining in place the end infolders 35, and analogous plates 39 confining the side infolders Having thus referred to and located 111 a general way the blank supporting bed, the infolding system, and the defining templet,

therewill next be described the power connections for the main shaft and thereafter the operating connections from the main shaft to the defining and infolding elements and finally the blank infceding and outfeeding devices and their connections.

Fast and loose belt pulleys 41 are shown mounted on a power shaft 42 having its bearings at the outer side of the right hand upright frame member 20. The power shaft 42 carries a worm 43 so that the preferable high speed of the shaft is reduced through the engagement of the worm with a worm wheel 44 mounted directly on the main shaft 19. The power shaft may be operated by direct coupled motor, and is shown as having a squared front end 45 by which the machine can be operated by hand crank for observation and adjustment purposes. By the described connections the main shaft is rotated constantly at a suitable rate of speed for the folding of blanks such as those referred to. One advantage of the machine of the present invention is its relatively high speed due to the coordination of the various elements including the infceding and outfeeding devices. Heretofore the output of folding machines has frequently been limited by the ability of the workman to supply the cloth blanks singly to the machine or to infeeding mechanisms as heretofore proposed. The facility and safety of the feeding operations of the present invention are such that the output in folded blanks per minute is substantially greater than on heretofore known machines, the machine being practically capable in some cases of a rate of output approaching or even exceeding 1800 folded blanks per hour.

The end infolders 35 may be moved inwardly and outwardly by mechanism operated from the main shaft, for example as follows. Each end folder 35 is shown as having an endwise extending shank 17 which is shown attached by a ri id connection 48 with the outer top side of the infolder, the hold down plate 38 being cut away to receive it. By this connection the shank 47 is made rigid so as to partake of the up and down movements of the infolder, and obviate a pivot for this purpose. The outer extremity of each shank 47 is shown as adjustably connected with a block 49, through which adjustment the initial position of the infolder can be set. The block 49 has its outer end pivotally connected to a downwardly extending rod or plunger 50 which slides within a sleeve 51 in a telescopic manner, the sleeve constituting part of an operating lever fulcrumed on an axle 52. This form of connection permits free up and down movements of the infolder and connected parts, while the telescopic lever is able to effect inward and outward movements thereof. The lever 5 has an extension 53 which is curved forwardly'as seen in Fig. l and at its extremity carries a follower 54 engaging the groove 55 of a cam disk 56'mounted on the main shaft 19,. there being one of these at each longitudinal end of the machine. The cam groove is so shaped as to effect the in and out movements of the end infolders in harmony with the other operations.

The side infolders 36' may be analogously operated by the following mechanism. The front side infolder is shown as having a downwardly extending shank- 5-8, see Fig. 5. This, by a slotted connection, is engaged with an operating lever 59 mounted on an axle 60 I which also carries a downwardly extending lever 61 having at its extremity a follower 62 engaging the cam groove 63 of a cam disk 64 mounted on the main shaft 19. As seen in Fig. i the elements 58 to 63 are substantially duplicated as 58 to 63 for the rear side infolder'. The cam disk 64 therefore with its two grooves 63 and 63 operates the front and rear side infolders 36 in unison and in harmony with the other operations, said grooves being alike.

The lifting and lowering of the infolder system may be operated by the mechanism now to be described, which operates upon the table 37 in which the infolders slide. The lifting movements are to allow the infolders to be raised to clear the central pad of the bed precedingtheir inward movements over the templet and subsequently to allow the necting rod or weight of the infolders to be slightly relieved at the time of the contraction of the templet. The mechanism to be described for lifting and lowering the infolders however is preferably not employed inits entirety for the final pressing or squeezing of the folds, which requires high pressure andis performed by separate cam connections. The bed pad 22 1s in the nature of a low pedestal or elevation of the shape to be folded, and interchangeable for different shapes.

The table 37 is shown as a single casting having two longitudinal ribs standingdown wardly at the front and rear sides, as best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 At each of its four corners the table is attached to a vertical conlink 66, these four links'being pivotally bolted to the table, and each of then having a turnbuckle adJustInentmember 64 for altering the length so as to ad ust the initial levelness of the table. The two links '66 at each end of the table are at their lower ends pivotally connected to a vertically movable yoke 68 having a recess 69 straddling and guided on the main shaft 19 and having an upward guide extension 70 running in a fixed part of thefra-me in order to maintain the yoke vertical in its up and down movements, so that when the yoke is moved up and down the table 37 willhave the same movement without any lost motion or tilting. The yoke member 68 is shown as having a downward extension 71 which is forked at its lower end andcarries a pivot pin 72, the center part of which may be square so as to engage slidingly ina slot 7 3 in a lever 74 fulcrumed at the front partof the: machine. The described parts are duplicated at the two ends of the machine, and the two levers 74, as best shown in Fig. 6', arerigidly connected with a sleeve 75, so that the sleeve and the two levers move as a single rigid part, the rocking of the sleeve serving to lift or. lower the levers and thereby the infolder table. The sleeve 75 is shown as having at its front side an offset or finger 76 taking part in the lifting and lowering movements and at its rear side a similar but shorter finger 77 taking part in the pressing movements. The sleeve 75 is carried on a fixed axle 7 8. mounted in the front part of the machine.

The cam'lever 80 which effects the lifting of the infolder system is not fixed to the sleeve 75, but its hub 81 surrounds the sleeve as best shown in Figs. 6 and 8. At the front of the hub 81 is an extension 82 having a square aperture receiving the finger 76 of the sleeve 75 and in connection therewith is an adjusting device in the form of a pair of setscrews 83 which can be shifted'to adjust the relation between the cam lever and the parts operated by it so as to determine the initial level of the table. The lever 80 carriesa follower or roll 85 bearing on the peripheral cam surface 86 of the cam disk 64 already referred to, the two sides of which contain grooves controlling the in and out movements of the front and rear infoldei 's. The peripheral cam 86 is so shaped as to effect the several lifting and lowering movements of the infolder system as referred to and as will be described more fully in summing up the operation.

The creasing pressure upon the blanks may be effected through a portion of the lifting connections already described. The pressing connections may operate upon the sleeve 7 5 through the rear finger 77 thereof. The cam lever 88 which applies the squeezing pressure is shown as having a hub 89 loose onthe sleeve adjacent to the hub of the lifting lever 80',

but the pressure lever extends rearwardly from the sleeve, while the lifting lever extends upwardly from the sleeve. The pressing lever is formed with a square recess accommodating the sleeve finger 7 7 and a pair of opposite set screws 90 allow for initial adjustment to determine the degree of pressing action. The pressure lever 88 carries a follower or roll 92 adapted to be thrust downwardly by the peripheral surface of a cam 93. The cam is open so as to be wholly disengaged from the roll except during the pressingoperation. which commences with a slight depression effected bythe cam portion 93*, following which the pressure is maintained by the dwell of the cam for something IUL over of rotation of the main shaft. The pressing, it will be understood, takes place after the templet has been contracted from the infolds of the blank, but before the intolders have been returned outwardly, the blank being thus squeezed forcibly between the infolders and the underlying bed or pad, which may be heated to improve the creasing action.

The die or templet 27 is mounted at the front end of the carrying arms 26, said arms having extensions beneath which is directly attached a heavy plate or frame 96 on which the movable templet parts are mounted. The templet is best shown in Fig. 1 in connection with Figs. 10 to let. The frame plate 96 is shown in the underneath view of Fig. 12 as having a system of substantially radial guiding slots '4' for the ends of the templet and 98 for the sides, the latter be ng arranged in pairs, one pair at the front side and one at the rear side. This system of guiding slots or ways permits a six plate templet. The bottom view of Fig. 12 shows two overlapping plates 100 at the front side, two similar overlapping plates 101 at the rear side, and two end plates 102 at the right or left, also overlapping with the side plates. These plates taken together define the outline of the product or blank as will be seen by comparing the expanded templet of Fig. 12 with the folded product in Fig. 2. \Vhen contracted the defining plates draw inwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 1 1.

Each of the defining plates is held at the lower end of a shank or carrier, which is well illustrated in Fig. 13, this having a vertical leg 103 carrying the plate at its lower end, a horizontal leg 10 1 extending outwardly toward the guiding position and a radial bar or slide 105 mounted in one or another of the slots 97 and 98 and held to itsactuating mechanism by a bolt 106. The templet plates thus assembled are capable of defining the blank,

' and permitting the infolders to fold the cloth margins over the plates, and contracting to free the plates from the folds.

The actuating means for the templet plates may be as follows. Each end plate is moved inwardly and outwardly by a slide bar 108 to which the radial bar 105 is secured by the bolt 106. The radial bar 105 runs in a slot at the lower side of the frame plate, and may be loose therein, but the slide bar 108 runs with a tight fit in a radial recess the top side of the frame plate, the bar being held down by an overlying plate 109 which is slotted for the passage of an actuat ng stud 110 projecting upwardly from the sl1de bar.

The four front and rear side templet plates and their carrying shanks are mounted beneath four slide bars 112 which are fitted in radial recess in the upper side of the frame plate and are held down by plates 113. Prefrably the front and rear side plates are ac tuated in pairs and for this purpose each pair of slide bars is provided witha cross bridge 11%, shown in Fig. 10 as attached at one end to one of the slide bars 112 by screws 115, while the other slide bar is provided with ly through movement of the bridge, while the a slot and block connection permits the approach and separation of the bars due to their converging movements. Each of the bridges 11 1 is shown as provided with an upstanding pin or stud 118 which, like the stud 110, may carry a cam roller.

The described system of six templet plates and the four upstanding studs 110 and 118 may conveniently be actuated by a cam wheel or ring 120 mounted on a central stud 121 extending upwardly from the frame plate 96. As seen in Fig. 10 the cam wheel is provided with two slots 122 for the studs 110 and two other slots 123 engaged by the studs 118, these slots all being eccentric so that upon turning the ring all of the templet plates will be moved in or out. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the plates are in their outward or defining position, whereas if the ring be turned counterclockwise each of the studs 110 and 118 will be forced inwardly, thereby retracting the several templet plates and con tracting the templet as a whole.

A convenient mechanism for oscillating the cam wheel120 to eflect the expansion and contraction ofv the templet at the proper points of time is as follows. A guideway 125 is shown arranged radially on the wheel 120. this carrying a block 126 which forms a sliding crank by which the wheel may be oscillated. Upstanding from the sliding block 126 is a pin 12'? and this pin is secured at the lower side of a bracket arm 128, shown also in Figs. 1, 4c and 7. This bracket arm is arranged to move bodily right or left to operate the cam wheel. The arm is secured by an adjustable connection 129 with a sliding carriage 130, the sleeve or hub of which is mounted slidingly on the axle 25. This sleeve or'hub is recessed to receive a ring 132 having forwardly and rearwardly projecting studs 133 which carry blocks engaging in slots in a yoke 134 formed at the top end of an actuating lever 135 fulcrumed at 136 on the machine frame.

At a pointabout midway between the fulcrum and the yoke thelever 135 is provided with a forwardly extending stud 137 carrying aroller 138 engaging in the cam groove 139 of a disk 140 mounted on the main shaft 19, this disk being seen also in Fig. 5. By this arrangement the cam groove 139 in disk 14.0 is able to effect the oscillating movements of the cam wheel 120 and thereby the expansion and contraction of the templet in coordination with the other elements of the machine.

In connection with the feeding operations, including the cooperative infeeding-of each raw blank to the folding position and the subsequent outfeeding of the folded blank therefrom to a receiving position, there should first be mentioned a forwardly extending shelf 142 at the upper front of the machine, seen particularl Y in Figs. 1 and 3, arranged to hold piles of raw material, so that the operator, standing in front, can manually apply successive blanks to the infeeding elements with great convenience and rapidity. There is shown, inset in the upper surface of the shelf, what may be termed a position plate, at the forward location of the infeeding device, this therefore giving an indication to the operator of the forward location of the device and preventing accidental conflict therewith. The position plate 143 also is shown as formed with an upstanding gage or clea-t 144 consisting of a pair of upstanding fingers presenting a tapered opening for receiving and centering the infeeding device as it descends upon the plate.

The in'feeding carrier 146 is shaped generally to the contour of the blank and is in the nature of an open tray or rack, within the outline of which the successive blanks may be inserted by hand and through the bottom of which the folded blanks may pass. The rack 146 is shown as provided with a stem 147 which engages between the fingers of the gaging cleat 144, thus accurately positioning the rack as shown in Figs. 1 and 3; The stem 147 is connected by a longi tudinally adjusting device 148 to an arm 149 which is arranged to oscillate rearwardly and forwardly to carry the rack and blank to intolding position and the rack back to supplying position. The rear or outer end of the arm 149 is yoked to form separated hubs 150 which engage upon an axle 151 enahling the arm 149 to rock n; and down to a slight extent. The axle 151 is shown secured by a screw 152 to the apertured upper end of a plunger or rod 153 capable both of vertical sliding movement and rotation. The slight up and down rocking movement of the arm 149 is limited by contactstops 154 and 155 at the outer and inner sides of the axle, while a spring may assist gravity in holding the arm and rack normally in their swung down position, While permitting slight upward yield as the rack comes into either of its operative positions.

In each cycle the infeeding rack 146 lifts bodily to clear the positioning cleat 144 and then swings rearwardly to infolding positiondirectly over the bed pad 1-22 and then descends upon the pad and infolders, and after the infolding and the extraction of the te-inplet the rack again rises and swings outwardly and descendsi-nto the initial position as shown in the figures. A second positioning cleat 145, on the plate =88, deterines the correct positioning of the new blank on the pad.

The bodily up and down movementsof the feeding devices may be effected through-the plunger or rod 153,, the lower end of which is shown connected by a stem 1-58 and swivel oi-nt 159 with the forward end of a cam lever 1'60 fulcrum-ed at 161 and at a middle point carrying a follower or roll 162 engaging the cam or groove 163 of a cam disk 1-64 mounted on a countershaft 165. The cam or groove 163 will be seen to have such con-tour as to effect the described lifting and lowering movements of the infeeding device.

The rearward and forward swinging movements of the infeeding rack 146, and the outfeeding device to be described, which also partakes of the up and down movements, may be effected by the following connections. The verticallyslidin-g plunger 153 is shown as fitted within' an oscillating sleeve 166, the upper end of which sleeve has a leftward extending arm 167. Directly above the arm 167 the plunger is shown as provided with a similar arm 168 and this arm carries a vertical pin 169 sliding in an aperture in the arm 1 67. By this arrangement any oscillation of a the sleeve 166 will be communicated as a rockin'g movement of the plunger 153 and the desired swinging movement of the feeding devices. The sleeve 166 is shown mounted within upper and lower fixed sleeves or guides 170 and .171, se 'a'arated sufiiciently to accommodate the rock arm 17 2 projecting rearwardly from the sleeve. This rock arm 172 is for-med with a slot carrying a sliding block and pin 17 3, the pin extending downwardly into engagement with the forward end "of a cam lever 1 74 ful'crume'd at 175 and having at a middle point a follower 176 in the form of a :CilHl roll engaging a cam or groove 177 in the peripheral portion of thecam disk 164. By this arrangement the feeding devices are swung rearwardly at one point of each cycle and returned for wardly at another point as will be more fully described. The cam disk 1-64 is arranged to be rotated uniformly in unison with the main shaft 19 by a pair of meshing gears 178 of equal size.

The outfeeding member is designed to contact upon and'pick up each fold-ed blank from the bed or'pa-d, lift'it above the infolding sys Y tom, swing itrear'wardly to a discharge point, and release it or deposit it in a receptacle of any desired sort. Preferably the outfe'eding device is in the form of .a suction header nozzle 179 and this conveniently may be mounted. at the inward end of a pipe 180 serving as a carrier. This pipe is shown as passing through and secured in one of the yokeheads 1500f the arm 149 carrying the rack 146, so

that the infeeding rack; and the-eutfeeding 1..

suction head undergo the same movements both up and down and rear and front. At its outer end the pipe or carrier 180 is formed with an elbow 181 from which extends down wardly a flexible pneumatic connection 182 extending to a connection 183 formed at the lower or head end of an air cylinder 184. The cylinder is shown as containing a reciprocating piston 185 connected by a rod 186 with a crank pin 187 on the disk 56 at the left end of the main shaft 19. The lower end of the cylinder is pivoted at 188 so as to permit its bodily swinging with the motion of the crank.

The described pneumatic system constitutes a simple means of applying, first suction for the engagement and lifting of. the folded blank from the bed, and second, a reverse air movement, giving a puff for discharging the blank from the nozzle at the rearward or delivery position.

The timing of the several cams can best be described by stating the cycle of operations of the machine as a Whole. The drawings show the parts in the following positions. The templet is expanded and the next operation of the cam 139 will be to contract it. The templet is elevated and is the next operation of cam 34 will be to lower it. The infolders are down upon the blank upon the bed and the next operation of the cam 86 will be to lift them. The infolders are all in their inward positions and the next operations of the cams 55, 63 and 63 will be to move them outwardly. The'pneumatic piston is in its lowered position and the next operation of the crank 187 will be to raise it to apply suction to the out feeder. The pressure connections have applied pressure to pull the infolders down upon the blank and the next operation of the pressure cam 93 will be to release the pressure. The feeding devices are in their lowered position and the next operation of the cam 163 will be to raise them. The feeding devices are in their forward position and the next operation of the cam 177 will be to swing them rearwardly, the infeeder bringing an unfolded blank to folding position and the outfeeder carrying a folded blank to the delivery point.

This being the condition of the parts as shown in the drawings a. single cycle or rotation of the main shaft 19 may produce substantially the following operations. The

V crank 187 acting on the piston 185 will apply suction to the outfeeder 179 enabling it to pick up the blank just completed. About this time the squeezing pressure upon the blanks is released by the cam 93. Thereupon the cam ""i 86 elevates slightly the infolder system by its slant 86 and the cams 55, 63 and 63 move all of the infolders outwardly, slightly beyond their normal outward position, whereupon the cam 86 lowers the infolders fully 1' to their normal position with their top surfaces flush with the pad, and the cams 55, 63 and 63 bring them slightly inward in close contact with the pad. In the meanwhile the feeding system has been lifted slightly by the cam 163, the infeeder with an unfolded blank and the suction outfeeder with a folded blank, this lifting movement being followed by a rear swinging movement of the feeding devices by the cam 177, so that the infeeder is brought to folding position and the outfeeder to delivery position, whereupon the cam 163 lowers the feeding devices so as to bring the new blank in contact upon the bed pad. About this time the cam 3+1 commences to lower the templet and shortly afterwards the defining edges of the expanded templet come upon the new blank. Thereupon the cam 86 lifts the infolder system enough to clear the pad and templet, and the cams 55, 63 and 63 then operate, bringing first the front and rear side infolders to their inward position as shown in Fig. 3 followed by the end infolders attaining their inward position as illustrated. These inward movements snugly wipe and fold the fabric margins in over the edges of the templet and produce the infolds as shown in Fig. 2.

Next the cam 86 operates to lift slightly the infolders in order to relax their natural pressure on the blank and thus permit the templet to be contracted out of the folds without disturbing the latter. About the same time the templet itself is raised'or relaxed by the cam 34 very slightly to loosen its frictional contact with the goods, and thereupon the templet is contracted by the cam 139, clearing it from the folds. In the meanwhile the crank 18? has passed its upper dead center and started downwardly so as to convert the suction to a puff and thus positively discharge the previously folded blank at its rearward or delivery position. As soon as the templet has contracted out of the blanks the infolders are lowered by the cam 86 directly upon the blanks and thereupon the cam 93 comes into play by its slanting portion 93 to throw downward the pressure lever 88 and apply heavy creasing pressure to the infolder system, thus squeezing the blanks against the heated bed. This pressure may be continued through a substantial part of the cycle. During this period the templet is lifted by cam 34 to its raised position and thereafter is expanded by cam 139 in readiness for the next descent and defining operation. Also, the feeder system is first lifted by cam 163 and then swung frontward by cam 177. The infeeding rack has remained at the folding po-' sition until after the templet has been raised, and the lifting and forward movement of the feeder is effected while the pressure is being applied to the blank. This frontward swinging movement at the same time brings the suction outfeeder above the blank being pressed, and this movement is followed by the lowering of the feeder system by the cam 163. This brings the parts hack to the initial position as illustrated on the drawings.

There will thus be seen that there has been described an infolding machine of the class referred to embodying the principles and attaining the objects of the present invention. Since various matters of combination, arrangement, operation and construction may be modified without departing from the principles of the invention it is not intended to limit the same to such matters except so far as set forth in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. An infolding machine having a templot with frame plate, radially guided bars, an overhead cam ring, and followers on the bars engaging the cam; with a bridge interconnecting two of said bars which are converging. and the cam ring connected for moving them in unison.

2. An infolding machine having a templet, with defining plates, an oscillating ring above, connections between the ring and plates, a radial guide on the ring, a sliding crank on the guide, and connections for 0scillating the crank and ring.

3. An infolding machine having a bed, a table above the bed, infolders carried by the table, means for lifting and lowering the table, and means for moving the infolders in and out.

4. An infolding machine having a bed, a table above the bed, infolders carried by the table means for lifting and lowering the table, and means for moving the infolders in and out, comprising an outwardly eXtending shank rigidly attached to an infolder, and a telescoping lever connected to said shank. v

An infolding machine as in claim 3 and wherin are yokes under the ends of the table, links from the yokes to the four corners of the table, means for relatively adjusting the links, and means for forcibly depressing the two yokes.

6. An infolding machine as in claim 3 and wherein is a. rocking shaft having arms, and connections from the arms to the table, a cam, a connection from the cam to the rock shaft for lifting and lowering the table, a second cam, and a connection therefrom for rocking the shaft to forcibly depress the table.

7. An infolding machine having a bed, a templet and infolders, an open rack infeed device. and timed means moving it laterally in and down to blank infolding position before the operation of the templet and infolders and thereafter up and back to blank receiving position, whereby the templet presses the blank through the open center of the feed device for infolding upon the bed.

8. An infolding machine as in claim 7 and wherein the rack has a caii'yin'g'r arm swung rearward andfrontw'ard about a ver tical axis and bodily lifted and lowered, and

timed means effecting such movements.

' 9. An infolding machine as in claim 7 and wherein the rack has a carrying arm with means to swingit rearward and frontward and means bodily tolift and lower it, and

a positioning devlce for correctly position-mg the arm and device during lowering move ments. 1

10. i-i'n infolding machine as in claim 7 and, wherein is astationary front shelf for manual feed of blanks, and a-position designation thereon for the blank receiving position of the infeed device.

11. An infolding machine having a bed and infolding means, and a combined infeeding and ontfeeding mechanism comprising an infeeder, an outfeeder spaced rearwardly therefrom, the same interconnected, and timed means for moving both rearwardly before the infolding to carry away the previously folded blank and bring a new one to folding position, and returning both forwardly to receive successive blanks.

12. An infolding machine as in claim 11 and wherein the combined feeding means is fitted for lifting and lowering movements, and with timed means lifting the same before each shifting movement, and lowering itv thereafter. 7

13. An infolding machine as in claim 11 and wherein the combined feeding means mounted to swing about a vertical axis for its rearward and forward movements, and pivoted for tilting yieldingly in coming into position.

14;. An infolding machine as in claim 11 and wherein the outfeeder comprises a nozzle,with a pneumatic connection thereto, and a suction and compression device or cylinder and piston timed to apply suction-for the outfeeding movement, followed by compression.

15. An infolding machine comprising infolding means, and an outfeeder operated in time therewith, consisting of a suction head or nozzle, a swinging carrier therefor having up and down and out and in movements, timed means effecting such movements, and a pneumatic connection to such nozzle and timed means for applying suction for the extraction and outfeeding of a folded blank, followed by compression.

16. An infolding machine as in claim 15 and wherein the suction means comprises a cylinder pivotally mounted, a piston'therein, 1

a piston rod, and a crank directly operating the piston rod.

17. In a machine'for infolding the edges of cloth or analogous blanks, in combination with the support for the blanks and'the infolding means, a combined blank'infeeding and outfeeding mechanism comprising an infeeder adapted to carry successive blanks to the support, an outfeeder adapted to pick up and remove folded blanks from the support, a carrier movable in reverse directions and carrying the i-nfeeder and outfeeder in laterally spaced relation, and means for giving the carrier feed and return movements such that in the feed movement the outfeeder removes a folded blank laterally from the support at one side While the infeeder brings a new one to the support from another side and in the return movement the outfeeder returns to the support and the infeeder returns to a supply position.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature hereto.

VALTER L. DIXON. 

